House Of Representatives: Bill Seeking To Increase Parliament Seats From 360 To 366 Gets To 1st Reading Stage
A member of the House of Representatives, Rep Akintunde Rotimi, has come up with a bill seeking to amend Section 49 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and get the number of parliament seats increased from 360 to 366.
The six new parliament seats will be allocated to women and the people living with disabilities (PWDs).
Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the bill, titled “Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (Sixth Alteration) (Six Special Seats for Special Interest Groups) Bill, 2024 (HB.1811) was presented for its first reading during the plenary session that was held on Wednesday.
The current total number of parliament seats in House of Representatives is 360 and if the bill eventually gets signed into law , it will increase to 366.
Each of the six geopolitical zones will take one out of the proposed new six parliament seats while the candidates must meet all qualifications required for the regular House members.
The bill also proposes that elections for the parliament seats would be conducted through an electoral college involving members of the National Associations of each special group, with input from grassroots and regional levels in a multi-tiered election process.
They will also serve the same term as other House members and receive equivalent benefits, as outlined in the bill.
Rep Rotimi noted that the bill aims to enhance representation for women and individuals with disabilities, who often face significant barriers to political participation.
‘The inclusion of these special seats will ensure that the voices of underrepresented groups are heard at the national level, creating a more balanced and inclusive legislative framework for Nigeria he added-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you.
